| What if you couldn't get a tubal reversal? What if | | | | less than 50%, or so he thought. |
| this alternative to the more expensive and less | | | | The doctor informed him that the hospital didn't |
| successful IVF option was taken away from | | | | do the procedure because most patients have to |
| women? This is a greater possibility than you | | | | pay out of pocket to have the operation and the |
| might think. | | | | hospital simply charged way too much. |
| Wanting to untie their tubes is one thing many | | | | Furthermore, he told him that once the surgery |
| women decide they want each year. For | | | | was done, which is a great procedure, the patient |
| whatever reason, some time after a tubal ligation, | | | | would be able to have more children if she wished. |
| a good percentage of women change their minds. | | | | As for the question on the success rate, the |
| This is for women who knew they had a tubal | | | | doctor was very indignant and informed the |
| ligation. I won't go into the women who were | | | | young resident that in the right skilled hands, the |
| never informed of the surgery or who were | | | | success rate is over 80%. |
| talked into on the operating table. | | | | Now, you might believe as some do, that it could |
| However, for most doctors in the last 15 years | | | | be true that regular ob/gyn doctors would not |
| or so, tubal reversal is a procedure they receive | | | | receive this specialized training. Then who would |
| little to no training on. In fact, some come out of | | | | receive it? The answer is usually that reproductive |
| their education and training believing that the | | | | endocrinologists get the training. However, that |
| success rate of tubal reversal is less than 50% | | | | just isn't so. |
| and just not viable as a fertility treatment at all. | | | | Going back to our young surgeon from before, he |
| Furthermore, most new doctors simply never | | | | had considered, a few years later, doing a |
| even see the operation done. One young surgeon | | | | fellowship in reproductive endocrinology to get the |
| relates that if it had not been for a single | | | | training to do tubal reversal surgeries. But he |
| consultation he had been in on as a resident, he | | | | learned that such a fellowship would not give him |
| would not have even known tubal reversal | | | | the training he needed. Of two friends who had |
| surgeries were a very good alternative. | | | | gone through such fellowships, one had seen two |
| The doctor he was shadowing was consulting with | | | | tubal reversal in the three years of the program |
| a patient wanting another child after a tubal | | | | and the other saw absolutely none. So much for |
| ligation. The young surgeon was shocked when | | | | that hope for continued training of doctors in this |
| the doctor recommended a tubal reversal from a | | | | procedure, even among specialists. |
| local doctor, who coincidentally is the world's | | | | This just goes to show that women do have |
| leading tubal reversal surgeon, rather than IVF. | | | | something to worry about. The lack of training for |
| After the consult, the young surgeon cornered | | | | new doctors in this particular type of specialized |
| the doctor asking why he had made the | | | | surgery and fertility option is taking it away. Tubal |
| recommendation. After all, they didn't do the | | | | reversal surgery could indeed be a dying skill. |
| surgery at the hospital and the success rate was | | | | |